Metro Briefing | New York: Manhattan: Bill Would Ban Ephedra Sale In City

By Nichole M. Christian (NYT) (Compiled by Anthony Ramirez)

Published: April 30, 2003

Betsy Gotbaum, the New York City public advocate, announced yesterday that she and several City Council members would introduce a bill today to ban the sale of ephedra within the city. Ephedra is an herbal dietary supplement that supporters say is valuable for weight loss and body building but that the Food and Drug Administration says has been linked to heart attacks and strokes. The bill would allow doctors to prescribe ephedra, but only as a treatment for conditions other than obesity or fatigue. The unauthorized sale of ephedra would be punishable by a $1,000 fine. Nichole M. Christian (NYT)